Minneapolis neighbors unite: Snow emergencies prompt community spirit

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Residents in Minneapolis and St. Paul are working hard to manage the aftermath of a recent snowstorm, with snow emergencies still in effect.

Snow removal efforts continue

What we know:

Crews and residents are actively clearing snow from streets and sidewalks. 

Minneapolis residents must clear the entire width of city sidewalks within 24 hours to ensure accessibility.

Kevin Gilliam, a local homeowner, was seen snow-blowing his property to avoid dealing with hardened snow later. 

"I couldn’t get to it last night when the snow stopped around 8 or 9 o’clock," said Gilliam. "I wanted to make sure I got the snow up, so it didn’t kind of freeze hard on the bottom."

Neighbors lend a helping hand

What they're saying:

Richard Cushing helped his neighbor Robert Young, who recently moved to Minneapolis from Colorado, dig out his car. 

Young was initially using a dust pan before Cushing offered a shovel. 

"Three things you need for the winter in Minnesota: a good shovel, good tires, and a good neighbor," said Young.

Cushing noticed Young's struggle and decided to assist. 

"I saw him trying to dig it out with a dust pan. And I thought, I have a shovel in my car, I can probably do better than that," said Cushing.

"You use what you have. And that’s all I could find in the house. We just moved in here from Colorado, and it’s a totally different snow altogether. And the Colorado snow is light and fluffy, and you just kind of blow it off. This has got attitude. It's going to hang around," Young added.

What's next:

Temperatures are expected to drop – which means cleaning up snow will become more difficult in the coming days.